Wednesday, November 07, 2012

It's All Good

As the vote totals ascended during the night, democracy was speaking. Most of the races I backed didn't come in first, not even me. Of course I didn't run for any office, but I was hopeful that a deluge of write ins would have put me over the top. Alas, that didn't happen either. Still, the sun will come up from the east and go down in the west except those cloudy days that you aren't sure if the pattern is still being followed.

There are those that are gnashing their teeth, (bad for dentistry health) and others that are cheering, not realizing what a terribly foolish thing they did in getting caught up in the moment. At best, the dollar will continue to decline in value, fuel prices will follow and at worst, China will stop loaning Obama the money to bribe the electorate.

This year, at age 74, I jumped over the traces and freed from my preconceived ideas of political philosophy, I chose to back some democrats in district two. I felt it was a classic race between whacked out ideologues and those that alas, were democrats, doomed to failure, I did this along with several candidates that really knew they had little chance of winning, but for the sake of democracy, felt they had to try. I salute them for the effort. In past years the Democrats didn't even bother to field candidates in many districts. That isn't healthy. A candidate must always give the electors a choice. Running uncontested is like kissing your sister. I'm proud of them as leading citizens failing not because they were found wanting, but because voters in our area cast their ballots for labels rather than people.

I salute the voters of Kootenai County for electing Ben Wolfinger as sheriff by a landslide. An example of a super qualified candidate that wasn't a far right republican, still piled up amazing vote totals considering he is a moderate Republican.

I have three things that I look at in a candidate. Are they qualified, is their political philosophy near my own, and does the candidate have good character. Oh, there is one more. The candidate must have complete control of their sanity. Some this year, did not pass the last one.

I am comfortable in criticizing others rather than running myself. One can only imagine the verbal gaffs that I would spout given the clear opportunity to make an ass out of myself. Actually, I sometimes do that anyway, without being a candidate, but then that's a story for another time.

For those of you that voted, congratulations on your contribution to the continuation of out Republic. Hopefully, you won't come to regret your decision. I personally think that when the Democrats nationally, run out of bribing (see Ohio) the electorate with their own money, we will return to sanity. Until then, hunker down and wait for the next check to arrive from the federal government, it's yours and you earned it. It is however, unfortunate that what they gifted to you was your own money, yet you praise their generosity.

Washington voters, lemming like, appear to be electing another democrat as governor, along with both houses of the legislature. They, like their namesakes,(see above) will be visiting bankruptcy courts in the near future, disbelieving that you have to have money before you can spend it.

It will be interesting to see the test in Washington State, where the liberals are fighting the federal government over states rights. Will wonders never cease. Of course this right turn was case sensitive. It was the legalization and taxation of Pot. May the entertainment begin. This will be the first test of the will of the state versus the federal government regarding the legalization of pot for recreational purposes. That it should have never been listed with opiates in the first place is a direct result of hippidom during the '60s and '70s, where pot was equated with left wing war protesters and dropouts, Not medical expertise or scientific evidence. It's the only schedule A drug that is not addictive, yet alcoholic beverages which are, have been legal since prohibition was lifted. Perhaps this was the first shot fired in a new anti-prohibition war.